Apparatus



p i 1967 A. H.-KOEPF ETAL APPARATUS Filed March 9, 1964 7 Sheets-5heet 1 INVENTORG ALMONT H. KOEPF ROBERT K. RICHTER ATTORNEY April 4, 1967 A. H. KOEPF ETAL 3,312,099

7 APPARATUS Filed March 9, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORJ ALMONT H. KOEPF ROBERT K. RICHTER ATTORNEY April 4, 1967 KQEPF ETAL 3,312,099

APPARATUS Filed March 9. 1964 'T Sheets-Sheet :5

F 83 F/ G 4 F /80 I L INVENTORS ALMONT H. KOEPF 73 ROBERT K. RICHTER 73 I BY ATTORNEY p i 1967 A. H. KOEPF ETAL ,099

APPARATUS Filed March 9, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORJ ALMONT H. KOEPF ROBERT K. RICHTER BY 5 2 mORNEY April 1967 A. H. KOEPF ETAL 3,312,099

APPARATUS Filed March 9, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 PM? 5A ALMo-; xF%2az-%2 ROBERT K. RICHTER ATTORNEY April 4, 1967 A. H. KOEPF ETAL 3,312,099

APPARATUS Filed March 9. 1964- 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 ROBERT K. RICHTER A TTORNE Y April 4, 1967 A. H. KOEPF ETAL 3,312,099

APPARATUS Filed March 9. 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTORLS ALMONT H. KOEPF ROBERT K. RICHTER ATTORNEY United States Patent Office Patented Apr. 4, 1967 3,312,099 APPARATUS Almont H. Koepf, Orinda, and Robert K. Richter, Walnut Creek, Calif., assignors to Kaiser Aluminum 8;

Chemical Corporation, Oakland, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 9, 1964, Scr. No. 350,230 4 Claims. (Cl. 72392) This invention relates to an attachment for a metal forming apparatus and, more particularly, to an attachment or shoe that can be used with an expansible forming apparatus of the type shown in United States Patent 2,474,887 issued July 5, 1949, to F. L. Carswell et a1.

Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel attachable shoe for use in an expansible metal forming apparatus of the type used to form metal culvert pipe and the like.

This and other objects of the instant invention will become more apparent from a review of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the attachable shoe of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of one part of the attachable shoe;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of one type of forming apparatus with which the attachable shoe of the instant invention can be used;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a typical hydraulic circuit that can be used for controlling the apparatus of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic elevation of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 3 and discloses how one size of culvert pipe section would be formed by use of the attachable shoe;

FIG. 5A is another diagrammatic elevation of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 3 located within a different sized culvert pipe and illustrates another position of the attachable shoe;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating more than one attachable shoe associated with the apparatus; and

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of the forming apparatus provided with the attachable shoes and discloses the position of the shoes when the apparatus has been actuated to an internally expanded position to thereby arch a culvert pipe section.

The primary purpose to be served by using the expandable shoe attachment of the instant invention is to enable a conventional culvert-forming machine to produce culvert pipe of oval or elliptical shape from metal sections that ordinarily cannot be bent on a sharp radius without strain hardening the metal and causing the metal to fail due to buckling. This is particularly true in the case of certain aluminum alloy materials that are useful in making arch-type culvert sections.

Throughout the drawings, like reference characters refer to like parts. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the novel pipe-forming attachment comprises an elongated shoe 10 of arcuate shape in transverse cross section such that it has an outer convex surface 12 and an inner concave surface 14. One extremity of the shoe 10 includes an inwardly extending longitudinal flange 16. The flange 16 is partly recessed or cut away at its longitudinal ends, indicated at 18, to facilitate connection of the shoe to sliding bolt fasteners 20.

More specifically as best shown in FIG. 2, these fasteners include a cylindrical body 22 having a longitudinal bore that is proportioned to slidably receive the bolts 24. The body of the bolt fastener 22 further includes a longitudinal slot 26 extending substantially the length of the body. At the longitudinal ends of a slot 26, identical arcuate slots 2% and 30 extend in the: same direction but are normal to the slot 26. A control link 32 is connected by conventional means (not shown) to the bolt 24 and is arranged to slidably move within the slots 26, 28 and 30 such that the link 32 can control the position of the bolt 24 relative to the body 22. It is evident that a bolt 24 can be locked in its extended position or in its retracted position by rotatable movement of the bolt 24 when a link 32 is aligned respectively with the slot 30 or the slot 28 in the bolt with which it is associated.

For the purposes of assembling fasteners Zll to either longitudinal end of the flange 16, each fastener is provided with a bifurcated portion 34 which projects outwardly from the body 2t of the fastener as shown in FIG. 2 in such a fashion as to extend over the flange 16 at either end adjacent the recess 18. The fingers 34' of the bifurcated portion 34 contain spaced apertures on two vertical axes of which only the upper two apertures 36 are shown. The apertures 36 are aligned with corresponding apertures (not shown) on the flange 16 for the passage therethrough of a fastener such as a rivet 37 for securely assembling the bolt fasteners 2t) to either end of the flange 16.

The attachment ill is adapted to be connected to a forming apparatus 38 in the manner shown in FIG. 3. The frame of such an apparatus includes a base 40 that supports a vertical standard 42 which in turn supports an l-beam 44 that extends the full length of the apparatus and is further braced at its longitudinal ends by downwardly diverging bars 46.

Opposite sides of the I-beam 44 include identical forms 4@ and 50. Each form comprises a pair of spaced transverse members 52 that are held in parallel spaced relation by channel members 54 and 55, angle members 58 and arcuate plate member en. While only the front transverse members 52 that are held in parallel spaced relation a series of spaced transverse members 52 which constitute more than one form 48 and 50 for the apparatus 38 are shown in FIG. 6. Since the outermost edge of the transverse members 52 contact the culvert to be formed, the outer faces of the members 54, 56, 58 and Gil do not extend beyond the outer edges of the outermost transverse members 52.

A track means 62 on either side of the I-beam 44 is adapted to engage a stud element 64 secured to the lower end of each transverse member 5.2. The upper end of the transverse members 52 of the forms 48 and 5t) overlap and are secured together by suitable cars 66, of which one is shown in FIG. 3. A pin 63 extends through each ear and through slots 70 in the overlapped transverse members 52. The cars 66 are secured to the upper flange of a lighter I-beam 72 that is secured at its lower flange to the heavier I-beam 44.

To laterally move or expand the transverse members 52, an extensible fluid cylinder 73 for each form 48 and 56} is pivotably connected at one end to the I-beam 44 by conventional connecting means 74 and at the other end to the 'angle members 58 by connecting means '76. Coiled springs 78 connected as shown in FIG. 3 to the transverse members 52 at one end and to the I-beam 44 at the other end assure positive retraction of the members 52 and forms 48 and 54] when actuating fluid is withdrawn from the cylinders 73.

FIG. 4 discloses a suitable hydraulic control circuit for controlling the operation of the fluid cylinders 73. Fluid under pressure is directed through inlet conduit 80 to be selectively directed across the 3-way control valve 83 or 84. Depending on the position of the lever of the control valve 83 or 84, the fluid under pressure is directed into the fluid cylinders '73 associated therewith for extension of the pistons in the cylinders or the fluid under pressure is fed directly to the return conduit 82, or the ressure fluid within the fluid cylinders 73 is directed by he control valve 83 or 84 to the return conduit 82.

Since there are four extensible cylinders '73 associated vith each control valve 83 or 84 in FIG. 4, it is evident hat one of the cylinders 73 is associated with each of the 'orms 4S and 50 of FIG. 6. The above-described formng apparatus 3%} relates to a forming apparatus described n the above-described US. patent to Carswell et al.

To enable the attachable shoes l-tl to be held in a lesired position across a pair of spaced transverse mem- )BIS 52 of each form 48 or 50, the slidable bolt fastener i is associated with alignable apertures (not shown) in he associated pair of spaced transverse members 52. The \pertures in the transverse members 52 are reinforced by neans of conventional nuts 80 disposed on the outer surace of the transverse members 52 of each form 48 or it and aligned with these apertures in the manner shown 11 FIG. 6.

When bolts 24 of the fasteners 20 are extended and ocked in the arcuate slot 30 (FIG. 1) as Well as through he nuts 80 and the aforementioned apertures in mem- :ers 52, they securely lock and position the attachable .hoe 10 within the reinforced apertures of the pair of ransverse member 52 of each form 48 or 50, as the case nay be. It is to be understood that when the shoes 10 are ocked in position on each form 48 and 50, the bolts 24 nerely function to loosely hold the shoes 10 in position, vhile the outer edges of the spaced transverse members 52 of each form 48 and 50 engage more than one point )f the shoes concave surface 14 to thereby withstand the forming pressures when the shoe it) is brought into convact with the workpiece to be formed, such as an arched netal culvert section.

While the forming apparatus as shown in FIG. 3 minus ;he attachments or shoes 10 of the instant invention can be advantageously used to form a metal section into a desired type of arched culvert on certain sizes of culvert, :he formed arch is so small such that the bending stresses .mposed on certain metals used, such as certain aluminum alloys, are too high. Consequently, the culvert is subject :luring forming to creasing along the area of high bending stresses. This creasing of the culvert not only weakens the culvert structurally whereby it can fail during use but it can also result in failure of the culvert workpiece during its formation.

To avoid the small formed arch with high bending stresses would normally necessitate another forming apparatus specifically designed for the certain sizes of culvert. Providing this new forming apparatus is obviously costly. Use of the attachment 10 of the present invention enables the advantageous extension of the use of a single forming apparatus. Thus, the attachment not only permits one forming apparatus to arch the size of culvert for which it was specifically designed but also enables the one forming apparatus to form an enlarged arch for certain sizes of culvert and expands the use of such a machine in a simple, yet unique, fashion.

Locating the precise position of the attachment 10 on a pair of spaced transverse members 52 depends upon the diametrical requirements of arched culvert being formed and the place where high bending stresses and consequent creasing of the culvert is to be avoided, all of which can be readily calculated by the operator.

In FIGS. and 5A, two diflerent positions for the attachable shoe on the apparatus 38 are shown. In FIG. 5, a culvert of smaller diameter is to be formed into an arch than the culvert that is to be formed in FIG. 5A. In the case of the smaller diameter culvert shown in FIG. 5, the attachable shoe 10 is connected to the spaced transverse members 52 of apparatus 38 above or in spaced relation to the upper or flanged extremity of the arcuate plate member 60 while in the case of the larger diameter culvert of FIG. 5A the attachable shoe It) is connected to or immediately adjacent the flanged end of the arcuate plate member 60.

In any event, regardless of whether the shoe '10 is affixed to the forming apparatus 38 such that it is attached immediately or in spaced relationship to the upper extremity of the plate member 60 of the apparatus 38, shoe 10 will still provide an extension and an arcuate enlargement of the form 48 or 54 as the case may be.

FIG. 7 illustrates an operative position of the forming apparatus 38 modified with an attachable shoe 10 between the spaced transverse members 52 to thereby form an enlarged arch in the case of one diametrical size of culvert and thus avoid the bending stresses that would cause creasing and the resultant damage thereto. Thus, it is obivous that the present application provides a simple attachment for extending the usefulness of a forming apparatus for certain diametrical sizes of culvert that would otherwise necessitate another forming apparatus.

It is apparent that minor changes might be made in the instant invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined by the appended claims, where- What is claimed is:

1. An arched culvert forming apparatus comprising the combination of at least one expansible arcuate work piece engaging form which is positionable within the culvert section to be arched, frame means supporting said form and said form including spaced transverse members and an elongated arcuate plate member disposed therebetween; means for expanding said form, an arcuate shoe hingedly aflixed to said transverse members adjacent said plate member, said shoe comprising an elongated plate having an arcuate shape in transverse cross-section and overlying said first mentioned plate member where by said shoe accurately represents a continuation and an larcuate enlargement of said first mentioned plate mem- 2. A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the shoe is connected to said forming apparatus at a point immediately adjacent the upper extremity of said first mentioned plate member.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said shoe is connected to said forming apparatus at a point spaced from the upper extremity of said first mentioned plate member.

4. An arched culvert forming apparatus comprising the combination of a pair of interlocked expansible arcuate workpiece engaging forms which are positionable within the culvert section to be arched; means for simultaneously expanding both of said forms of said pair of forms and for advancing said forms into contact with the culvert section; each of said forms including a pair of spaced transverse members, an elongated arcuate plate member disposed therebetween, and a shoe hingedly affixed to the transverse members adjacent the plate member with which it is associated and said shoe comprising an elongated plate having an arcuate shape and overlying a first mentioned plate member whereby said shoe accurately represents a continuation and an arcuate enlargement of the plate member with which it is associated.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,185,550 1/1940 Gerdes 72392 2,341,278 2/1944 Long 72392 2,474,887 7/1949 Carswell et al. 72392 2,687,763 8/1954 Perkins 72392 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

L. A. LARSON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ARCHED CULVERT FORMING APPARATUS COMPRISING THE COMBINATION OF AT LEAST ONE EXPANSIBLE ARCUATE WORKPIECE ENGAGING FORM WHICH IS POSITIONABLE WITHIN THE CULVERT SECTION TO BE ARCHED, FRAME MEANS SUPPORTING SAID FORM AND SAID FORM INCLUDING SPACED TRANSVERSE MEMBERS AND AN ELONGATED ARCUATE PLATE MEMBER DISPOSED THEREBETWEEN; MEANS FOR EXPANDING SAID FORM, AN ARCUATE SHOE HINGEDLY AFFIXED TO SAID TRANSVERSE MEMBERS ADJACENT SAID PLATE MEMBER, SAID SHOE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED PLATE HAVING AN ARCUATE SHAPE IN TRANSVERSE CROSS-SECTION 